Trap-gun.



No. 760,274. PATENTED MAY 17.1904.

l I. N. THOMAS.

TRAP GUN.'

APPLICATION FILED EDU112, 1003.

N0 MODEL.

053/, fida@ JMW/ef wf/g I yam UNITED STATES Patented May 1'7, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

TRAP-GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent o. 760,274, dated May 1'?, 1904.

Application filed November 12, 1903. Serial No. 130.881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, ISAAC N. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seymour, in the county of Baylor and State of Texas, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Trap-Guns, of which the following is a against accidental discharge should a person contact with it when set. A further object is to dispense with the employmcnt of springs or the like to effect aiming, the parts being so disposed and arranged that in the act of taking the 'bait the animal -will positively sight the gun.

W ith kthe above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists, generally stated, in a gun embodying a barrel including firing mechanism for exploding the cartridge, such mechanism being released by a bait-hook. The barrel has combined with it a suitable stake by which the gun can be positioned at any desired point and be held normally in a vertical position, the advantage of this arrangement being that should a person contact with or strike the gunl when in this position danger of explosion will be entirely obviated. The connection between the barrel and the stake is such that the barrel may be swung vertically and also horizontally, thus permitting it automatically to adjust itself in such manner as to insure of its being effective when discharged.

Further and more specific details of construction will be hereinafter more fully described, and distinctly set forth in the claim.

ln the accompanying' drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate correspond-` ing parts,there are illustrated two forms of embodiment of the invention, each capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the elements therein eX- hibited may be varied or changed as to shape,

proportion, and exact manner of assemblage without departing from the spirit thereof, and in these drawings-'- 4 Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a trapgun constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical'sectional View. Fig. 3 is aperspective detail view of the barrel. Fig. i is a sectional detail view of a slightly-modified form of barrel.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the barrel of the gun, 2 the breech,r and 3 the lock-casing'. The barrel 1 provided at or near one end with a. pair of lugs which are adapted to engage a pair of bayonet-slots 5 in the breech 2 to r hold `the parts assembled'. Instead of employing the lugs and bayonetslots for the purpose defined one end of the -barrel may be externallythreaded to engage internal threads in the breech, as shown in Fig. 4. Vhile these two methods of assembling the barrel with the breech will be found thoroughly efiicient in use, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to these precise arrangements, as other means may be employed for thef same purpose and still be within the scope of the invention.

The breech 2 is assembled with the lockcasing, in this instance through the agency .of a threaded connection; but it will be ap- `parent that this form of connection may be otherthan that shown, if found necessary or desirable. The lock-casing is tubular and contains a firing-pin 6, which projects into the breech a sufficient distance to contact with the cartridge carried by the barrel. The firingpin has connected with it an arm 7, constituting a Sear which projects through a bayonetslot 8 in the lock-casing and is adapted to be held retracted against the pressure of a spring 9 by engaging with the angular notch 10 in the slot 8. The trigger is shown in this instance as an arm 11, pivotally attached in any preferred manner at 12 to the lock-casing, thc outer end of the trigger `having connected with it one end of a bait-rod 13, the opposite end of which projects through a keeper 14:, carried by the outer end of the barrel, and is provided with a hook 15 to secure the baitin position.

The upper end of the lock-casing is bifur- IOO orifice is loosely mounted a stake 18, which is adapted to be driven into the ground, thus to hold the gun properly positioned for use. The stake 18 is to be of such length that when the trap is set the bait-hook will be some distance above the surface of the ground and within easy reach of an animal. By pivoting the link in the lock-casing the barrel will be free to be lifted vertically, and by reason of the swiveled connection of the link with the stake the barrel will be free to be moved in a horizontal plane, and with these two movements the gun will be rendered self-aiming, as the animal will be Vcompelled to lift the gun in order to remove the bait and in so doing will bring the barrel into direct line with its face.

In the use of the gun the stake is driven into the ground the desired distance, a cartridge is inserted in the barrel, and the latter is locked in position. The sear is then raised and brought into engagement with the notch 10, thereby holding the spring 9 under tension. The bait having been applied to the hook, the barrel is released and is allowed to swing to a vertical position. As soon as an animal grasps the bait it will lift the barrel slightly, and as soon as a pull is given to the bait-rod the trigger 11 will be moved into engagement with the sear and force it out of engagement with the notch 10,whereupon the spring will force the firing-pin downward and explode the cartridge.

The device of this invention while exceedingly simple in construction will be found thoroughly eliicient in use for the purposes designed and when once set may be relied upon for doing effective work. By reason of the fact that the barrel normally occupies a vertical position there will be no danger of a person being shot should he accidentally strike the gun, as in the event of the sear being released the bullet will enter the ground and not in the body of the person.

It will of course be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise arrangement or location of the parts as illustrated. Thus, for example, the trigger may be located on the opposite side of the slot from that shown, and the notch 10 of the slot 8 may be disposed in the direction opposite to that shown. Furthermore, the use of the term cartridge is not to be construed as confining the invention to the ball-cartridge, as it is to be understood that a cartridge containing small or large shot may be employed.

' The device of this invention will be found more humane in use than steel and other traps inasmuch as it kills the game or wild animal instantly, whereas with the traps in common use the animal will often linger for several days after being caught before dying.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- A trap-gun embodying a barrel to receive a cartridge and provided with lugs, a breech to receive the cartridge-bearing end of the barrel and having bayonet-slots to be engaged by the lugs` a lock-casing secured to the breech and having a locking-notch, a springpressed firing-pin housed within the casing, a sear connected with the liring-pin and projecting outward from the casing and adapted to engage said locking-notch to hold the spring under tension,'a trigger pivotally connected with the casing, a bait-rod connected with the trigger, a staff, and an arm mounted for hori- Zontal movement on the staff and having a pivotal connection with the lock-casi ng to permit the latter to swing to and from the staff.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses. f

ISAAC N. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

Jo WooDYnAR, A. POWER. 

